Hood clamp



' E. NOLAN v I HOOD 0mm? Filed July 24. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 v 61mm E. NOLAN H0 0D CLAMP Feb. 19, 1924.

Filed July .24. 1922 2' Sheets-Sheet 2 auowtoz ZZZ/mm (5 /Va Zan Patented Feb. 19, 1924.

UNITED ST EDMUND NOLAN, 03' DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

noon l Application filed July 24, 1922. Serial Ito. 577,211.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND NQLAN, a citizen of the United States of Amerlca, residin at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and tate of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 1n Hood Clamps, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to the manufacture of hood clamps designed for use upon automobiles to clam the base of the hood to the frame. Usua 1y such clamps are formed of a hollow handle member havmg a projecting lug or catch and a spring-pressed plunger within the hollow handle havlng a downwardly extending shank which is pivotally attached to the frame. Thus the tension of the spring is exerted to draw the lu or catch downward upon the hood, but will yield for the disengagement of the catch when desired. It is the o ject of the present invention to simplify the process and reduce the cost of manufacture by forming the handled portion of the "clamp of pressed sheet metal.

In the drawin s:

Figure 1 is a p an view of the sheet metal blank from which the hood clamp handle is formed;

Figure 2 is a lon 'tudinal s ect1on illustrating one step in t e operat1on of forming the handle;

Figure 3 is a similar view after a succeeding operation Figure 4 is a p an view of F gure 3;

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are respectively a plan view, front elevation and side elevation of the lug or catch Figures 8 and 9 are respectively 0. Ian view and a sectional side elevation o the cap member;

igure 10 1s a longitudinal section through the completed handle shown the plunger and spring in engagement t erewith.

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 10 showing the modified construction.

M 1mproved clamp is formed from an oblong sheet metal blank A, which is pressed to cup the central portion thereof, as indicated at B in Figure 2, and to simultaneously bend upward the. opposite end portions and to fashion the same into substan tially semi-circular cross-section. end portions are then further fashioned, as

shown in Figure 3, the portion thereof constituting complementary sections of a cylindrical housing 0 and the end portions be ing bent to form oppositely extending handle flan es D. The portion C is further provide intermediate its ends with an annular shoulder E for receiving a rin or ferrule F having the lug or catch pro ecting therefrom. This ring or ferrule may also be formed from pressed sheet-metal which is struck up to form the ring proper and a projecting flange, the latter being return-bent to extend upwardly, as indicated at F, and then bent downward at G to form the catch. H is a ca for closin the upper end of the cylindrical housing, w ich, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, may also be pressed from sheet metal. This cap is preferably retained in engagement with the.

portion G by forming it with an annular groove I'therein and forming at the upper end of the member C an inwardly extending bead J for engaging said groove. K is a ring or ferrule surroundin the portion 0 at the upper end thereof, WhlCh holds the two complementary sections from spreading and also retains the cap in enga ment.

With the construction as descri ed, during the process of manufacture, before the cap is engaged a lunger L having a shank M is inserted wit in thecylindrioal portion C, the shank passing downward through an a erture N in the cupped portion of the b ank. A spring 0 is also sleeved upon the shank M, one end abutting against the plunger L and the other end against the ottom of the cup-shaped portion. Thus the tension of the spring will hold the plunger normally pressed against the cap but when an upward pull is exerted upon the handle, the spring will be compressed and the handle raised sufiiciently to disengage the catch G from the hood.

In the modified construction shown in Figure 11, instead of. forming the portions.

D integral with the portion C, such portions maybe se arately formed but integral with a ring or errule P. This ring is then sleeved u on the portion C and engages a shoulder at the upper end of said portion, which prevents detachment therefrom. The portion. also has an outwardly extending projection R extending longitudinally of its upper end which enga es in a correspondingly shaped recess in t e ring P to prevent rotation of the ring about the housing.

The construction described may be cheaply manufactured, requiring no machining operations, with the exce tion of the plunger, shank and spring being formed entirely from pressed sheet metal.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A hood clam comprising a hollow casing having comp ementary segmental portions integrally connected at one end, laterally extending handle portions at the opposite end, a cap for closing said opposite end, and a ring or ferrule sleeved upon said casing having a catch projecting laterally therefrom.

2. A hood clam comprising a hollow cylindrical casing ormed of complementary segmental portions integrally connected by a cup-shaped portion at one end of the casing, handles at the opposite end of said casing projecting laterally therefrom, and a cap for closing said opposite end of the casing inserted within the segmental portions thereof and having a groove and bead engagement therewit 3. A hood clamp comprising a hollow casing formed of complementary segmental portions integrally connected by a cupshaped portion at one end thereof, said cup portion being centrally apertured for the passage therethrough of a shank, handles eeann pro'ecting laterall from the upper end of sai casing, a cap or closing said upper and provided with a grooved flange for engagmg a beaded portion of the casing, a ferru e for surrounding the casing to retain said head and groove in engagement, and a ferrule sleeved on said casing having a catch projecting laterally therefrom.

4. A hood clamp comprising a hollow casing formed of complementary segmental portions integrally connected b a cupshaped portion at one end thereo and provided With laterally projecting handles at the opposite end thereof, said hollow casing being further provided intermediate its ends with an annular shoulder, and a ferrule sleeved upon said casing and abutting against said shoulder and having a catch projecting laterally therefrom.

5. A hood clamp comprising a hollow casing formed of complementary segments integrally connected at one end, a handle projecting laterally from each of the segments of said hollow casing, and a ring or ferrule sleeved upon said casing and retaining the segments thereof together, said ring having a catch projecting laterally therefrom.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ED; 2| NOLAN. 

